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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24424399">Stay</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/JMSlam/pseuds/JMSlam'>JMSlam</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Catra (She-Ra) Needs a Hug, Catra is Furry, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Nightmares, No Really She's Furry, Post-Canon, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018) Season 5 Spoilers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 07:09:14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,068</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24424399</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/JMSlam/pseuds/JMSlam</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"Another nightmare?" Adora asked as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes.<br/>Catra nodded.<br/>"Was it about me?"<br/>She nodded again.</p><p>Catra is having nightmares and Adora is there to make sure everything is okay.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Adora/Catra (She-Ra)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>185</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Stay</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is just a little fluff/angst fic that I needed to get out of my head after the series ended. Set Post Season 5 so don't read it if you haven't seen it.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>She doesn't love you.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>You don't deserve it.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She hates you.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>You should die!</em>
</p><p>Catra screamed as she rose from her bed. She could feel the beads of sweat soaking through her fur. Another nightmare…</p><p>A hand squeezed against hers from beside her. Warm, Familiar, Loving. A strong, calloused hand from wielding Etheria's greatest weapon. Catra trailed her gaze up the arm connected to that hand. She traced a claw from her other hand up the forearm connected to that hand, light as a feather. She found her way up to a bicep, then a shoulder, a neck, a cheek. Eventually she let her touch end against the woman's temple. She had to stop, of course, because the eyes staring back at hers were full of concern.</p><p>"I'm okay, Adora." She forced a smile. It was such an easy lie to tell for her. So often in the Fright Zone she'd lie about how hurt she was, then scamper off to lick her wounds. Adora would always run after her just to make sure she was okay. She was the only one that Catra could let her guard down around.</p><p>"Another nightmare?" Adora asked as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes.</p><p>Catra nodded.</p><p>"Was it about me?"</p><p>She nodded again.</p><p>"Catra," Adora sat up, pulling the hand she was holding up to her lips, placing a gentle kiss against the cat woman's fingers, "I love you. I'll say it as many times as you need me to." She trailed kisses up her oldest friend's arm. When she reached Catra's neck, she heard the soft rumblings of a purr starting to form.</p><p>"I know," Catra brushed a hand through Adora's hair, "They're just nightmares." She faked another smile, but her purrs wouldn't stop as Adora kissed up her cheek. When Adora finally captured her lips, Catra sighed, "Can you say it again?"</p><p>"I love you." Adora said, smiling against Catra's lips.</p><p>Catra shivered, "A-Again…"</p><p>"I love you." She repeated, giving Catra another light kiss on the lips.</p><p>"I...I love you so much Adora." Catra choked out, her ears dropping low on her head.</p><p>She really hated this part of her. The piece of her that wouldn't let her be happy and just love the woman beside her without question. The piece of her that tried to drag her down, make her suffer, keep her alone and afraid for the rest of her days. She thought it was over when the war ended. That her and Adora could live in peace and just be together. Just love one another without manipulation or strife or destiny getting in the way.</p><p>Tears started to drip down Catra's face. Crying was the worst part of it all. Not only did it make Adora upset to see her cry, which only made her feel worse, it also left sticky patches in her fur that hurt to clean in the mornings. She pulled her arms and knees into her body, sheltering herself from everything and everyone. At least like this she felt safe. No one could hurt her.</p><p>"Catra…" Adora pried her arms away from her chest, "We made a promise, didn't we? 'Nothing really bad can happen as long as we have each other.' Do you remember?" Adora brushed her fingers through Catra's hair. That spot right behind her ear that always made her relax.</p><p>"Mmhmm," Catra nodded, gripping onto Adora as she was pulled into a hug.</p><p>"Well, I'm here. We're together. So?"</p><p>"N-Nothing bad can happen." Catra repeated, pressing her face into Adora's chest. She felt her body start to relax, but that was when the worst part always hit her. As soon as she felt comfortable again, she always panicked. This time was no different as a surge of fear rushed over her. Her grip tightened against Adora's shirt and she pressed against her harder, "But...but what if I lose you? What if I screw up and you hate me for it and I'm alone again?" She blabbed out, shivering.</p><p>"Shhh," Adora cooed, "I'm not leaving unless you want me to. And even then, I'd probably still put up a fight." She giggled a little, which seemed to make Catra relax, even if it was only slightly.</p><p>"We're always fighting, aren't we?" She meant it as a joke, but Catra knew that they had fought so much before they could be happy together. Now that things were okay, it was hard not to think of it as fragile.</p><p>"I wouldn't call it fighting." Adora scratched that spot again, eliciting a purr from the cat woman, "Playful bickering, maybe. But we've always done that."</p><p>"Y-Yeah," Catra released a shaky sigh, and her grip with it, "but that's just because you're such an idiot." Adora laughed at that. It was that same, squeaky, snorty laugh she always had ever since they were kids. Catra lived for that laugh, for that smile.</p><p>"Hey, Adora?" Catra whispered after their giggle fits died away.</p><p>"Catra?" Adora replied with a smirk, pulling one more giggle from Catra.</p><p>"C-C'mon. I'm serious." Catra said between little hiccups of joy.</p><p>"Sorry, sorry. I couldn't help it." Adora pulled back from her, giving a sincere smile.</p><p>"I know you have to be a hero," Catra gulped, "You're She-Ra, after all."</p><p>Adora nodded.</p><p>"Th-There are gonna be days when the world needs you, and I know that. And I know that I can't always come with you, because I might have to do something here in Brightmoon or with one of the other princesses. But-"</p><p>"I'll always come back to you. Every night." Adora said so simply, as if it was the easiest thing in the world to promise.</p><p>Catra gulped, tears tugging at the edges of her eyes again, "A-And sometimes...some days I might be really bad. I might freak out and panic and be scared you'll leave me or you'll never come back or...or worse." She had to bite her lip to stop the tears from falling, "On those days...Adora...will you stay?"</p><p>Adora smiled. Without a word, she pulled Catra back down onto their bed, finally one big enough for the both of them to share equally. She pulled the covers over them both, giving Catra little kisses of reassurance along the way as she tucked them both in.</p><p>Their bodies pressed flush together, Catra's head nestled perfectly into Adora's chest.</p><p>"I'll stay."</p>
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